Cleveland Energy Guide: Solar, Batteries, Backup Power and EV

In short: Customers of The Illuminating Company, which serves most of Greater Cleveland, averaged about 32 hours without power in 2024, after the August 6 tornadoes and macroburst cut power to about 310,000 of them (EIA, FirstEnergy). On normal days the figure was 2.5 hours. Backup power is the first decision here; solar gets less sun than elsewhere in Ohio.

This page covers backup power, solar, batteries and EV charging in Cleveland and its western and southern suburbs. Ohio’s net metering rule, contractor licensing and state prices are in our Ohio energy guide.

Cleveland at a glance

• The Illuminating Company (FirstEnergy): about 16.8¢ per kWh on average in 2024 for homes buying supply from it; 1,918 minutes of outages per customer with major events, 150 without (EIA-861, 2024). About four in five of its home customers buy supply from another company.
• Cleveland Public Power: the city-owned utility, about 14.9¢ per kWh; 170 outage minutes per customer, reported without a major-event split; about 74,000 customers (EIA-861).
• Sun: about 3.6 kWh per square meter per day, the lowest of the Ohio metros we cover (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,060 kWh a year per kW of panels.
• Top hazards: Cuyahoga County is “very high” for cold waves and “relatively high” for ice storms, tornadoes, strong wind, lightning, flooding, heat waves and winter weather (FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025).
• Public charging: 176 ports at 66 locations in Cleveland, plus 24 in Strongsville, 17 in Parma and 9 in Westlake (AFDC, October 3, 2026).

Your utility and what it means

• The Illuminating Company (most of Cleveland, Parma, Strongsville and Westlake): under FirstEnergy’s Net Energy Metering Rider, each kWh you export offsets a kWh you buy, up to what you used that month. Any excess is credited only at the generation part of your rate and applied to future bills; customer charges still apply. FirstEnergy requires an interconnection application before you connect, an outside disconnect within 10 feet of the meter, and an electrical inspection before it installs a two-way meter. In Ohio you can buy supply from a certified supplier while the Illuminating Company keeps delivering power and handling outages. Compare offers on Energy Choice Ohio, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio’s comparison site, and if you have solar, ask a supplier how it credits exports.
• Cleveland Public Power (part of the city): CPP had 175 net-metered home solar systems in 2024 (EIA). Its interconnection is a two-part application: approval before you install, then photos and the City Electrical Inspector’s sign-off after. CPP needs a visible-break disconnect where required, and it notes that a molded case breaker does not count. Its 2020 procedure said application fees were being waived; ask CPP for the current fee and how it credits exports.

Backup power in Cleveland

The storm of August 6, 2024 explains Cleveland’s outage numbers. FirstEnergy reported four confirmed tornadoes with winds of 100 to 110 mph in its Illuminating Company and Ohio Edison areas, plus a macroburst with straight-line winds of 70 to 90 mph over about 225 square miles of Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties. About 310,000 Illuminating Company customers lost power, and fewer than 35,000 were still waiting five days later. Add Cuyahoga County’s “very high” cold wave rating and its winter weather risk, and backup that lasts days, not hours, is worth planning for.

A natural gas standby generator is the most common way to cover a multi-day outage, since it runs as long as the gas flows. A home battery is quiet and automatic but usually covers essentials for a day or so unless solar can recharge it, and Cleveland’s winter sun is weak. A portable generator with a transfer switch is the budget route, and a portable power station keeps phones, Wi-Fi and medical devices running. Compare all four in backup power options and size them with the generator sizing tool and battery backup calculator.

Safety: the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says to run a generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust away from doors, windows and vents, never in a garage or basement. Use battery-backed carbon monoxide alarms. A transfer switch or interlock needs a licensed electrician and a permit; see generator installation.

Solar in Cleveland

By our rough estimate, a kW of panels in Cleveland makes about 1,060 kWh a year on a flat surface, about 8% less than in Columbus. December sunlight is only about a fifth of June’s (NASA POWER), so winter production is low. A 6 kW system would make roughly 6,400 kWh. Used at home as it is made, that would be worth up to about $1,070 a year at the Illuminating Company’s 2024 average of 16.8¢. Exports earn only the generation part of the rate, so size the system to your own use. These are estimates, not promises; get a roof-specific figure from the solar potential tool and test quotes in the solar savings calculator.

Inside the city, Cleveland’s solar guide says rooftop and ground-mounted systems need zoning review plus a building permit and an electrical permit. More in solar installation and how net metering works.

Batteries in Cleveland

Of the Illuminating Company’s 2,458 home solar systems, 261 had a battery in 2024, about one in ten (EIA). A battery stores daytime solar instead of exporting it at the lower generation-only credit, and it keeps the basics running in a storm outage. For a week-long outage like August 2024’s, pair it with solar or a generator. We found no utility or state battery rebate to confirm. See home battery installation and home battery cost.

EV charging in Cleveland

Cleveland has 176 public ports, far fewer than Columbus’s 901 or Cincinnati’s 517 (AFDC, October 3, 2026), so home charging matters even more here. At the Illuminating Company’s 2024 average of 16.8¢ and about 30 kWh per 100 miles, home charging costs roughly $5 per 100 miles by our estimate; a supplier’s price changes that. We found no current Illuminating Company or CPP charger rebate to confirm, so ask your utility. A Level 2 charger needs a licensed electrician and an electrical permit; see EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.

Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Cleveland: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.

Permits and inspections

• City of Cleveland: the Department of Building and Housing issues permits. The city’s Guide to Going Solar (written in 2017) explains zoning review, building and electrical permits, and inspection; check current fees with the department.
• Cleveland Public Power customers: follow CPP’s solar generation procedure as well as the city permit.
• Parma, Strongsville, Westlake: ask your city’s building department which permits solar, generators and EV chargers need.
• Electrical work: generators, batteries and chargers need a licensed electrician. HOAs: get written approval first.

Cities we cover

• Cleveland
• Parma
• Strongsville
• Westlake

Get help

Tell us about your project and we will connect you with a licensed, independent installer who serves the Cleveland area. It is free, there is no obligation, and only the installer you choose gets your details. Read how it works.

Cleveland energy FAQ

Why were Cleveland’s 2024 outages so long?

Mostly one storm. On August 6, 2024, tornadoes and a macroburst damaged lines across Greater Cleveland, and about 310,000 Illuminating Company customers lost power. That pushed the utility’s 2024 average to about 1,918 outage minutes per customer, against about 150 minutes without major events (EIA).

Is my power from Cleveland Public Power or the Illuminating Company?

Check your bill. Cleveland Public Power, the city-owned utility, serves part of the city of Cleveland; the Illuminating Company serves the rest of the city and the suburbs. Solar connection steps and export credits differ, so confirm before you ask for solar or battery quotes.

Does solar make sense with Cleveland’s weather?

It can, but expect less than elsewhere in Ohio: about 1,060 kWh per kW a year by our estimate, with little output in December. Systems sized to your daytime use pay back best, because exports earn only the generation part of the rate. Get a roof-specific estimate before you sign.

What permits does solar need in Cleveland?

The city’s solar guide calls for zoning review, a building permit and an electrical permit from the Department of Building and Housing, then inspection before the utility connects you. Suburbs such as Parma, Strongsville and Westlake run their own building departments.

Sources

Utilities, prices, outages and solar counts: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 data for 2024. FirstEnergy storm updates of August 9 and 10, 2024; FirstEnergy Ohio interconnection FAQ, net metering primer and Ohio customer choice page; Cleveland Public Power interconnection procedure (2020); City of Cleveland Guide to Going Solar and Building and Housing page; all read October 3, 2026. Sun: NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Charging: Alternative Fuels Data Center, October 3, 2026. Generator safety: CPSC.